How long do whitetail fawns stay with their mother?

How long do whitetail fawns stay with their mother?

White-tailed deer fawns (here at Record Breaking Ranch) typically stay with their mothers for about one year, although this period can vary slightly depending on environmental conditions and regional variations. Here are the key stages of a fawn’s development and its time spent with its mother:

Birth to Weaning

  1. Birth:
    • Fawns are usually born in late spring to early summer at RBR, often in May or June.
    • A doe typically gives birth to one or two fawns, though triplets can occasionally occur.
  2. First Few Weeks:
    • Fawns are born with a reddish-brown coat and white spots, which provide camouflage.
    • For the first few weeks, the mother hides the fawn in tall grass or dense vegetation, visiting it several times a day to nurse. During this period, the fawn remains very still to avoid detection by predators.
  3. Weaning:
    • Fawns begin to eat solid food at about 3 to 4 weeks old but continue to nurse.
    • By 8 to 10 weeks, fawns are weaned and start to rely more on solid food.

Following the Mother

  1. Learning Period:
    • After weaning, fawns start to follow their mothers more closely, learning essential survival skills, such as foraging, recognizing predators, and understanding the social structure of the deer herd.
    • The doe leads the fawns to various feeding and bedding areas, teaching them the best spots for safety and food.
  2. Autumn and Winter:
    • Throughout the fall and winter, fawns remain with their mothers, forming a family group. This period is crucial for the fawns to gain strength and experience.
    • Bucks (male deer) usually leave the family group earlier than does (female deer), often by the time they are about one year old.

Separation

  1. Spring:
    • As the new fawning season approaches, does become increasingly intolerant of their previous year’s fawns, especially the males, driving them away to prepare for the birth of the new fawns.
    • Female fawns may stay with their mothers slightly longer, sometimes forming small family groups with their mother and siblings, but they generally become more independent by their first birthday.
  2. Independence:
    • By the time they are about one year old, most fawns are fully independent.
    • Bucks disperse to find their own territories, while does may stay closer to their birth area but become independent of their mothers.

Summary

In summary, white-tailed deer fawns stay with their mothers for about one year, during which they learn vital survival skills and gradually transition to independence. The mother-fawn bond is strong, ensuring the fawn’s development and increasing its chances of survival in the wild.